Just get crazy with Just Braise, the new Sandwich King of Halton!

Fellow Haltonians. I have found the most amazing sandwich shop in our region. Let me introduce you to *drum roll please…*Just Braise!

Friends- this is no ordinary sandwich shop. By combining only the freshest ingredients with carefully-curated recipes, Chef, Owner, and unrepentant Foodie Patrick Lam‘s goal was to make the best sandwich in town. And he has just about done it.

I visited Just Braise recently and tried some of their signature items, and I was beyond impressed! Usually, I am not a sandwich girl. I get picky when it comes to sandwiches. Either the bun is too hard to eat or there’s not enough or too much filling (I told you I was picky!). I’m like the Goldilocks of sandwiches. But then I tried Just Braise’s BBQ Pulled Pork Sandwich, the Kimchi Bap Poutine, and the Tiramisu Milkshake. And my sandwich world forever changed.

The concept might be simple, but the flavours are super complex. With each bite of Just Braise’s sandwich, I could taste the hours that were poured into perfecting it. There is pride in this sandwich. A lot of it. And you can taste it. It’s a breathe of fresh air in a sea of faceless, chain sandwich joints. And I’ve found it.

And yes, the restaurant does braise a lot of their food. After all, it is called “Just Braise”. But there is so much more to their name than just amazing, braised food. They also have other creative menu items like the Kimchi Bap Poutine (gamsa hamnida, indeed!) which is truly an East-Meets-West flavour explosion.

And with good food comes a good backstory. Growing up, Patrick Lam always loved to cook for his family and friends. He had a knack for it. His passion for food and cooking was only a hobby since he was at a 9-5 job at a bank for 10 years. Always wanting to fulfill his dreams to open up a restaurant, he decided to take the scary (yet rewarding) plunge and voila. Just Braise was born! And I, along with the entire Halton Region, am so glad he took that plunge!

Now, lets break it down dish-by-dish. The Pulled Pork Sandwich is one of Just Braise’s signature items because, you guessed it, the pulled pork is braised for hours and hours to make it tender and juicy. The pulled pork is then topped with hoisin BBQ sauce, garlic mayo, tangy ‘slaw and sliced onions. Then married with two buns. The flavour combination between the tangy coleslaw and the braised pork was heavenly! And the bun. Oh, the bun. This was honestly the best sandwich bun I have ever tasted! Yes, I know this is a bold statement but I seriously mean it. The bun has a crisp, delicate crunch with a soft and fluffy inside. Exactly how I like it (who wants to cut the roof of their mouths open every time they take a bite? Not me!).

Pulled Pork Sandwich

Next up, is the Kimchi Bap Poutine! This delectable poutine is topped with garlic mayo, spicy Bap sauce, kimchi and scallions. If you ask me, this should be the new Canadian national dish! Many people try to dabble in making their own kimchi. Mostly with mixed success. But Patrick’s kimchi had the right amount of spicy and tangy balance! It worked amazingly well with the poutine. Add this poutine to your bucket list. And if the poutine’s amazing flavour profile wasn’t enough, kimchi is also soooo good for you. So I will just continue to eat this all day!

Kimchi Bap Poutine!

Even though I was already full from the poutine and sandwich, I had to try their Tiramisu milkshake! Seriously I did it for you, my readers. 😛 Tiramisu is one of my favourite desserts, so imagine my surprise when I saw that Patrick made one in a tall cup. This decadent milkshake had espresso, biscuits, mascarpone cheese and topped with cocoa powder. It was thick and creamy, and the perfect dessert to end my lovely meal at Just Braise.

Tiramisu Milkshake

So if you can’t tell, I loved my experience at Just Braise. And I’m pretty darned sure that you will too. Fresh. Tasty. Made with so much love and care. Patrick is so dedicated in making dishes that showcase great, quality ingredients, and it really shines through all of the food on Just Braise’s menu. Take the trip to Oakville. So excited to see high quality restaurants like Just Braise popping up in the Western GTA. This is a trend that I can get behind.

Have you tried Just Braise? What was your favourite dish? Comment below!